Container



Ptenrea reb. is, 1938 v Harry N. Fallk, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Baxter Laboratories. Inc., Glenview, llll., a corporation of Delaware application February 26, 1936, Serial No. 65,8'18

3 laims.

This invention relates to a container and particularly to a container inwhich solutions, such as intravenous solutions, are carried.

A primary object of the invention is to Provide a container having improved sealing means and a sealing cap therefor which can be readily removed. Other Specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment by the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a sealing cap embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a sectional view of said cap and sealing parts applied to the neck of a bottle, the section being taken as indicated at line 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a perspective view of said cap; Fig. 4, a perspective view of a metal sealing disk; Fig. 5, a perspective view of aflexible sealing disk; Fig. 6, a perspective view of the inner clamping ring; and Fig. 7, a plan view of the sealing cap shown in opened position.

In the illustration given, the container B may be of any suitable type or size. clearly in Flg, 2, the bottle is provided with a neck Eli having ribs or threads GI extending therearound. A rubber plug 62 is seated within neck 60, and is preferably provided with a top annular flange 63 resting upon the top edge of the neck. The plug 62 is preferably provided with a pair of openings 64 and 65 of the shape illustrated inFig. 2. If desired, a glass tube 58 may be extended through opening 65, the head 61 of the tube resting within the shallow recess at the upper side of Opening 85.

After the plug 62 has been placed in position, I preferably secure an inner clamping ring 68 in the position shown in Fig. 2, the lower edge of the metal ring being clamped about the lower be ad 61, while the upper flange 69 rests upon the ledge or lip 63 of plug 62. In this manner the plug 62 is clamped in tight sealing position within neck 60.

I next place a thin fiexible sealing disk 10 of rubber, or other suitable material, upon the top4 of plug 62 so that the edges of the disk rest upon the horizontal fiange ,69 of clamping ring 68. It will be observed that the sealing disk 10 is substantially co-extensive with the top portion of the rubber plug 62.

Over` the flexible seal 10, I place a metal disk 1I fiexible member' 10 firmly against the horizontal As shown more which clamps the lperipheral edge of thej and the lower edge portions 13 are spun under the lower shoulder of inner ring 68. If desired, the cap 12 may be provided with a tearflap 11. The metal of cap 12 is preferably thin so that the user may grasp fiap 14 and by exerting tension thereon, tear a strip of metal away along the side of the cap, thus permitting the cap to be removed. I have found the use of certain aluminum alloys satisfactory for the construction of the inner ring 68, disk 11 and cap 12, although it will be understood that other suitable metals may be used.

In the metal cap 12 I preferably form two slits 15 which extend entirely through the metal and which are spaced slightly inwardly of the neck of. the. tear fiap 11. As shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 3, the openings 15 extend from a point adjacent .the tear fiap 111 up to the curved portion of the cap. Below the curved portion of the cap and extending along the sides thereof are two parallel indentations or grooves not extending entirely through the metal but forming weakened lines along which the tear will occur. Preferably, the weakened lines 16 are spaced slightly in'wardly from the cuts 15 so that a small metal area extends between the ends of Opening 15 and grooves 16. With this construction, it is found that the metal tears evenly and accurately along the lines 16.

One major difculty in the use of metal caps such as 12 has been the danger of cutting'the operator with the j agged edges of the metal after the tear fiap has been drawn. After the tear fiap has been drawn, it is still necessary to spread the cap in order to remove it from engagement with the bottle neck and particularly from engagement with the lower portion of clamping ring 18 which extends about the lower rib M. I have found that this danger can be readily obviated, and a very quick and easy removal of the cap effected by forming a V-shaped notch 11 in the opposite side of the cap from the tear fiap 14, as shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 3. I prefer to have the notch 11 substantially diametrically op-` posed to a line equi-distant from the grooves 16. With this construction, the cap 12 can be spread apart very readily to the position shown in Fig. 7. At the same time the two halves of the cap do not fall apart but are held together by the rear wall of the cap forming a hinge 18. The' portions of thecap to be discarded then are only the tezar fiap and the walls forming the body of cap-1 In the Operation of the invention, the ring 68 is placed in position, as shown in Fig. 2, and the lower portion of the ring clamped under the lower rib GI. The flexible element 10 of rubber, or other suitable material, is then placed in the position shown in Fig. 2 with the edges of the rubber lying on the top flange of the clamping ring 68. The metal disk li is then placed in position so that its peripheral portion tends to grip the edge of the rubber 10 between it and the top fiange of ring 68. The cap is then forced into place by mechanism of well-known construction and the lower edge of the cap spun about the lower edge of ring 68, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. Inl this position, the outer edge "of the flexible membei` 10 is tightly gripped between the plate 1I and the horizontal top flange of the ring member 68.

To remove the sealing means it is only necessary for the operator to grasp the tear flap l and to draw it laterally. The break occurs along the slots 14 and then along the groove lines 16. After the tear has been completed through the side of the cap, the operator grasps the sides and spreads them laterally. The notch 11 causes the portion between the V-slot thereof and the curved edge of the cap to break readily, and the two,

halves of the cap may be swung apart on hinge 18 to free it from engagement with the ring 68, as shown more clearly in Fig. 7. The disk '|I may then be removed and the rubber disk 10 lifted out of position. The confining ring 68 maintains the plug 62 in position during the subsequent operation of removing the liquid from the container, an Operation which is well-known and need not be described herein.

While in the foregoing description I have set forth certain specc sealing devices for the purpose of Illustration, it will be understood that such devices can be modified greatly without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only. and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

I claim:

l. In combination with a container having an opening and a closure for said Opening, said closure having at least one Opening extending therethrough, a clamping ring engaging said container and conflning said closure in position, a flexible sealing disk extending over said closure and a portion of said clamping ring, and means for confining the peripheral edge portion of said flexible sealing disk against said clamping ring.

2. In combination with a container having a neck with its Opening closed by a plug, said plug having at least a pair of openings therethrough, a clamping member secured to said bottle neck and engaging said plug, a sealing member extending over said plug and a portion of said clamping member. a metal disk extending over said sealing member and confining the peripheral portion of said sealing disk between it and said clamping member, and a cap extending over said metal disk.

3. In combination with a container having its Ineck closed by a plug, said plug having an annular rubber flange resting on the top of said neck, the neck of said vbottle being provided externally with a bead, a clamping member engaging the bead of said bottle neck and having a horizontal fiange extending over said plug and having its peripheral portion resting on said horizontal flange, a metal disk above said sealing disk and confining said sealing disk between it and said horizontal fiange, and a metal cap enclosing said metal disk and said clamping member. HARRY N. FALK. 

